All Aboard!
by JuliaaSaab
Summary: This one-shot takes place before the second generation head off to Hogwarts. Told from the view point of Albus Potter, we hear his concerns and excitements about the new world he is about to enter.


All Aboard!

Disclaimer: Although I wrote most of this, I did take some parts out of the DH epilogue, as I wanted it to be more realistic. This story takes place before the second generation children head off to Hogwarts. J.K Rowling has all rights to Harry Potter and the Wizarding World.

The sky was grey and the wind whipped the faces of the Potters as they jumped into the car that would soon take them to King's Cross Station. Albus was holding the cage that held his new owl tightly between his legs. He had decided to call him Optimous, a name that his mother told him meant strong and brave. He itched his head and called to his mother, "You did put my trunk in didn't you?"

"Of course Albus, now stop worrying!"

But Albus couldn't stop. Images went through his head of what life at Hogwarts would be like. James had told him a lot about the castle, but Harry had told him that most of it wasn't true. James had said the sorting included many tasks such as getting past a dragon and performing the Cruciatus Curse on someone, but Albus knew both things were Illegal and there was no way that Professor Flitwick, Headmaster of Hogwarts, would ever allow it and that the sorting was performed by a hat. But there were things that James had told him that seemed rather real. Just this morning James had mentioned that there were Thestrals and Werewolves that lived in the Forbidden Forest and sometimes attacked students who went too near them, and that people like him always ended up in Slytherin.

That is why Albus was now scared of the sorting.

Harry leaned over his seat and smiled at Albus. "Don't you worry Al; you're going to have the time of your life!"

Albus gave him what was meant to be a reassuring smile but, judging by the look on Harry's face, it didn't work. Albus opened his mouth to ask his dad about the Slytherins but he was interrupted by James. "Yeah Albus, don't worry. All the houses are great, even Slytherin."

Albus flinched at the sound of the name. "I am NOT going to be in Slytherin!" Albus cried.

"Oh, are you still fussing over that?!" Ginny asked.

Albus frowned. "Well, James keeps bringing it up every moment of the-"

"I only said you might be in Slytherin. What's the harm in that?"

"I don't want to be in Slytherin and you know it!"

"SHUT IT!"

Albus and James exchanged shocked expressions. They had never heard their dad shout like that before. Albus leaned his face against the window and leered at the muggles outside. He knew that if they knew about magic, then they would envy him. Shouldn't that make him feel grateful that he was even going to Hogwarts? His nerves relaxed and he breathed in deeply-

"You still could be in Slytherin though."

"NO I WON'T!" The relaxation Albus had disappeared even before he realized it was there. He bickered and argued with James the whole ride to London, ignoring his mother's plea for quiet, or his father's words that kept echoing through the conversation; "It's okay Al- No you won't Al- James be quiet!"

The argument stopped when they had just arrived in London, after Albus and James had been subjected to the Silence Charm by Harry. The car slid slowly to a stop in the car park outside the station and Harry turned to James and Albus. He lifted his wand and muttered an incantation under his breath. Albus felt his voice come back three children followed their parents out of the car and through the parking lot. James and Albus held their owls tight as they hurried into Kings Cross Station, clutching their trunks. Lily followed with a sad, yet excited look on her face. As they loaded the owls and trunks onto the trolleys, Lily started to whimper tearfully. Albus smiled and allowed his trolley to be taken by Harry, who took Lily's hand. Albus rushed forward and walked alongside his brother, who had given his trolley to Ginny. "So," James said mischievously, "Who are you going to be friends with in Slytherin?"

Albus cracked. "I won't! I won't be in Slytherin!"

"James, give it a rest!" Ginny rolled her eyes.

James grinned at Albus. "I only said he might be, there's nothing wrong with that. He might be in Slyth-"

But James caught Ginny's eye and fell silent. Bubbles of red hot nerves boiled inside Albus' stomach. He had only just forgotten about the row in the car, now James had to bring it up again. But Albus couldn't help wondering who he would be friends with if he was sorted into Slytherin. He didn't know anyone that was in that house. All of his friends and cousins had been placed in Gryffindor. Would anyone want to be friends with a boy whose whole family had been in Gryffindor? Even Albus knew that Slytherin and Gryffindor were at war. He walked over to where the rest of his family was. James had taken his trolley from Ginny and was giving Albus a cocky look over his shoulder. He turned and ran towards the barrier between platform nine and ten, and vanished as he hit the wall. Albus knew he had gone onto the Hogwarts Express platform. A sudden feeling of longing swept through him and he quickly turned to his father. "You'll write to me won't you?" He said, feeling that if he was put in Slytherin, at least he would have his family to talk to.

"Every day if you want us to." Was Ginny's reply.

"Not every day." Albus said quickly, he didn't want people (Especially James) to think he was so lonely he just had his parents to talk to. "James says most people only get letters from home about once a month."

"We wrote to James three times a week last year." Said Ginny.

"And you don't want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts," Harry put in, "He likes a laugh, your brother."

Harry beckoned Albus to hold onto the trolley, and together they ran towards the barrier. Albus winced, but no collision came. Instead, Albus found himself standing on platform nine and three-quarters. Albus squinted his eyes to try and see through the misty white steam that was pouring out from the scarlet train in front of them, but all he saw was figures. "Where are they?" He asked, looking at the hazy forms that passed.

"We'll find them." Said Ginny, who, too, was staring into the dense steam.

The Potters walked through the mist. Albus saw a few people he knew as they moved further into the fog. He spotted Uncle Percy who was telling his two children, Molly and Lucy, the dangers that broomsticks caused and the broomstick regulation. He just thought he saw the Cynthia from Diagon Alley when Ginny said unexpectedly, "I think that's them, Al."

A group of four people emerged from the haze. Albus felt his stomach relax as Rose, Hugo, Ron and Hermione come into focus. "Hi." He said, feeling calmed.

Rose, who was already dressed in her black, new Hogwarts robes, beamed at him. As their parents began to talk, they paced over to where Lily and Hugo were discussing what house they would be sorted in when they finally arrived at Hogwarts. Albus felt his nerves come back to him. He must have shown it in his expression, because Rose suddenly gave him a reassured look and gripped his hand. Albus' pleasure didn't last long though because, soon enough, Ron strolled over to them and said "If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you, but no pressure."

"Ron!"

Lily and Hugo laughed, but Albus and Rose looked solemn. Albus breathed in deeply and fought his nerves away. "He doesn't mean it." Ginny and Hermione said.

Rose gave them a weak smile and glanced at Albus. Albus saw her look and shrugged. Just then, they heard Ron's voice. It had gone strangely cold. "Look who it is."

Albus and Rose looked over to where Ron was referring and saw a pale, blonde boy with a receding hairline and a pointed chin. He strongly represented the man standing next to him, that Albus took was his father. "Draco Malfoy." Rose breathed.

"So that's little Scorpius," Ron said under his breath, "Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains."

Hermione looked half-stern, half-amused at this statement. "Ron, for heaven's sake, don't try turn them against each other before they've even started school!"

"You're right, I'm sorry." Said Ron, but unable to help himself, he added, "Don't get too friendly with him, though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pure blood."

Rose giggled.

"Hey!"

James had suddenly reappeared. He had stripped himself of his trunk, trolley and owl Affero and was literally bursting with news.

"Teddy's back there," He said breathlessly, pointing back over his shoulder into the billowing clouds of steam. "Just seen him! And guess what he's doing? Snogging Victoire!"

He gazed up at the adults, quite disappointed by the lack of reaction. But Albus knew that Teddy and Victoire had liked each other for years, it's about time they got together.

"Our Teddy! Teddy Lupin! Snogging our Victoire! Our Cousin! And I asked Teddy what he was doing-"

"You interrupted them?" Said Ginny, her brown eyes narrowing, "You are so like Ron-"

"-and he said he came to see her off! And then he told me to go away. He's snogging her!" James added, as though worried he had not made himself clear.

"Oh, it would be lovely if they got married!" Lily whispered dreamily, "Teddy would really be part of the family then!"

"He already comes round for dinner about four times a week," Said Harry, "Why don't we just invite him to live with us and have done with it?"

"Yeah!" said James enthusiastically, "I don't mind sharing with Al- Teddy could have my room!"

Albus snorted. He knew James would never actually want to share a room with him; he would rather sleep in the attic. Harry seemed to know this too because he added firmly, "No, you and Al will share a room only when I want the house demolished."

Albus saw him check his watch, and felt a huge knot form in his stomach.

"It's nearly eleven, you'd better get on board."

"Don't forget to give Neville our love!" Ginny told James as she hugged him.

"Mum!" said James, staring at his mother, "I can't give a Professor love!"

"But you know Neville-"

James rolled his eyes.

"Outside, yeah, but at school he's Professor Longbottom isn't he? I can't just walk into Herbology and give him love…"

He shook his head at his mother's foolishness and ventured his feelings by aiming a kick at Albus.

"See you later Al. Watch out for the Thestrals."

"I thought they were invisible? You said they were invisible!"

But James merely laughed, permitted Ginny to kiss him, gave Harry a fleeting hug, and then leapt onto the rapidly filling train. Albus saw him wave, then rush up the corridor to find his friends.

"Thestrals are nothing to worry about," Harry told Albus. "They're gentle things, there's nothing scary about them. Anyway, you won't be going up to school in the carriages, you'll be going in the boats."

Albus let out a sigh of relief. Ginny kissed him goodbye.

"See you at Christmas."

"Bye, Al." Said Harry, as Albus hugged him. "Don't forget Hagrid's invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone 'till you've learned how. And don't let James wind you up."

"What if I'm in Slytherin?"

Albus suddenly felt compelled to ask him that. The fact that he was just about to depart forced him to reveal just how sincere that fear was. His father crouched low so that his eyes were almost just level with his own. "Albus Severus," Harry said quietly, "You were named after two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."

"But just say-"

"-then Slytherin house will have gained an excellent student, won't it? It doesn't matter to us, Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."

"Really?"

"It did for me." said Harry.

Albus smiled. He was sure that he was the first of Harry's children to know that. He looked around and saw that the door was slamming all along the train. Albus jumped into the carriage as all the parents rushed forwards to give their children last minute hugs and kisses. With a pang, Albus realized everyone seemed to be staring at him and Harry. He felt panic rise inside of him.

"Why are they all staring?"

"Don't let it worry you," said Ron. "It's me. I'm extremely famous."

Albus, Rose, Hugo and Lily laughed. Just then, the train started to move. Albus glanced at Rose, his face spattered with excitement. He waved to his family and shouted out to Lily. "I'll send you a souvenir!"

The train went around the corner, and the station fell out of sight.


End file.
